Submitted by kalavala93 t3_10nhbbs in singularity
Cryptizard t1_j68xihc wrote
Reply to comment by Sashinii in Myth debunked: Myths about nanorobots by kalavala93
You know that not every technology you can think of it actually possible according to the physical laws of the universe, right? There is no way to manually "arrange atoms."
Sashinii t1_j68y5gr wrote
Everything (other than light) is made of atoms, so what do you think theoretically prevents people from creating technology that would be capable of rearranging atoms?
Cryptizard t1_j68ycty wrote
You need something the size of an atom that is more rigid/more manipulatable than atoms. Too bad everything is made of atoms so there is no such thing.
Sashinii t1_j68ytdx wrote
As I've already said: the scanning tunneling microscope moves single atoms, and that's a technology that's existed for decades, so what you're saying is wrong.
Cryptizard t1_j68z6z9 wrote
I don’t think you know how a STM works.
Sashinii t1_j6905b3 wrote
I'm well aware of how scanning tunneling microscopy works.
Here's a quote from the article "Atom Manipulation with the Scanning Tunneling Microscope":
"Manipulation of single atoms with the scanning tunneling microscope is made possible through the controlled and tunable interaction between the atoms at the end of the STM probe tip and the single atom (adatom) on a surface that is being manipulated. In the STM tunneling junction used for atom manipulation, a host of interactions that depend on the electric potentials between the sample and probe tip, the tunneling current, and tip-adatom distance come into play in the atom manipulation process".
grangonhaxenglow t1_j68y6h9 wrote
What about a chemical reaction? You’re fucking arranging atoms!
Sashinii t1_j68yl98 wrote
The scanning tunneling microscope also moves single atoms.
Molnan t1_j6ae10p wrote
That's a reasonable question. There are a few, very limited experimental examples of positionally controlled chemical reactions. Regarding more general capabilities that may be available in the future, here's, for instance, an interesting and relevant peer-reviewed theoretical analysis:
http://www.molecularassembler.com/Papers/TarasovFeb2010.pdf
That link is from Freitas's website. You can also see the abstract in the publisher's site, but the full text seems to be paywalled:
Cryptizard t1_j68yewh wrote
You know that is not what they are talking about.
grangonhaxenglow t1_j68yz59 wrote
I am thinking working nanotech will have more in common with biology and chemistry than mechanical or electrical engineering.
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